About the time I graduated from kindergarten, my Uncle Leland returned from his enlistment in the newly created United States Air Force. Hanging out and making model airplanes with him ignited a passion that would burn in my heart for the rest of my years. About a decade later in Air Force ROTC I had my first flight – in the back seat of a four-place single-engine airplane. We hadn’t even cleared the runway when I was hooked. In these posts, I’ll share some of the highlights of the next sixty plus years of learning, flying and teaching in numerous planes.
A Brush with History
Crystal Lake Airport (now Lake in the Hills) was a sleepy airport serving local pilots about 30 miles northwest of O’Hare. It housed a flight school with three trainers and a couple flight instructors. Hangars on the field included one for my dad’s brand new Beechcraft Bonanza – the ultimate single-engine airplane of the time. Even ...Read moreNon-Flying Years … With One Exception
1968-82 When Dad sold his Bonanza, I was compelled to face the classic dilemma of a young married aviator wannabe. Flying takes a concurrent supply of time and money – and I was limited on both fronts. These years were filled with life and upheaval – children, marriage issues, job changes, and six moves. With one ...Read moreThe Instrument Rating
1979-1984 In the spring of 1979, an angel entered my life. His name was John Smith and I owed him a not-too-small fortune. In one afternoon, he showed me how to change massive losses into equally large gains. The story of this failure and recovery is wonderful, rich, and complex, and I’ll share it in another ...Read moreMy Own Airplane
1984 As I reflect on the prior twenty years, I realize they were simply preparation for what lay ahead. The business crisis was behind me. I was now a private pilot with an instrument rating. I could go anywhere in almost any kind of weather. But thus far I was sharing planes with other pilots. Having paid ...Read moreFlying the Baron
1984-1986 Baron N4801J arrived at my hangar in early May. By the end of the month, I learned to fly this new bird and made two long cross country trips. I could manage all the dials and switches and, when things were routine, was quite comfortable flying it. Much like when Dad had the Bonanza, I flew ...Read more